Tag / Ron swanson

by Nathan Coumbe

Would you sign your name to it?

There’s an old saying among lawyers:

“If a man is willing to say it, he ought to be willing to put it on paper and sign his name beside it.”

There’s a great episode of “Parks and Recreation” where Ron Swanson gets a typewriter. He then proceeds to type letters to countless people with whom he takes issue. 

And he signs his name at the bottom. Even better, when they confront him (in person), he stands by what he said in his letter.

Social media has given us anonymity and the seeming ability to comment (often cruelly and brutally) without fear of consequences. We say things we’d never have the courage to say to a person’s face. 

So, the next time you plan on being an asshole in semi-public, ask yourself:

Would you sign your name to it? Would you be like Ron Swanson?

by Nathan Coumbe

Would you sign your name to it?

There’s a great episode of Parks and Recreation where Ron Swanson gets a typewriter. Throughout the episode, he writes multiple open, honest letters to people and organizations whom he disagrees with. 

At the end of the episode, you find out if he’s been signing his name to all these letters. He believes that if you believe in something strongly enough to write about it or say it to someone, you should stand by it.

Openly. Honestly.

The Internet, especially social media, is giving us the ability to do everything and say anything we want anonymously.

We can blog or create YouTube videos under a pseudonym. This can be a great thing for decent people trying to make things better but who are afraid of putting their work out under their real name. 

But instead, this option has been abused by people who just want to vent, criticize, and abuse rather than help, serve, or improve. It’s created a growing group of people who just want to watch the world burn. 

So today, I’m begging you: take a lesson from Ron Swanson. If you wouldn’t sign your name to it, you shouldn’t post it.